Flood issues aired

By ERIN PLUMMER

Friday

Aug 29, 2008 at 5:19 AMAug 29, 2008 at 5:24 AM

State and federal officials on Thursday heard from local residents affected by the devastating flooding from earlier in the month.

Representatives from the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Environmental Services, and other agencies responded to questions from residents regarding the Aug. 8 floods during a public meeting in Meredith. Town officials from Meredith, Center Harbor, Ashland, and New Hampton also attended, as did Senator Deb Reynolds, Representative Fran Wendelboe, and other legislators, in addition to a representative from the office of U.S. Sen. John Sununu.

James Van Dongen, public information officer with the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said the session was meant to be "an effort to get as much from people who have been affected by the flood."

"These are not easy questions to answer," Van Dongen said.

Van Dongen said that, while assistance from the federal government normally is used to rebuild public infrastructure, "A lot of these cases have situations that weren't quite so clear."

Many residents attending the meeting asked about assistance options for damaged driveways, many reporting having to spend thousands of dollars to clear or rebuild their driveways and properties after the flooding.

Dean Savranis of FEMA said public assistance may be available for driveways if a Presidential Disaster Declaration is made in Grafton, Belknap, and Coos Counties, the three counties hit by the flash floods, though only under certain criteria. The criteria include whether the damage prevents emergency responders from having any access to the property.

"Each situation has to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis," Savranis said, and federal aid would likely cover 75 percent of the costs.

New Hampton Town Administrator Barbara Lucas noted that "no town money can be expended on private property," though David Connell of the New Hampshire Municipal Association's Local Government Center said that rule applies to matters such as plowing private roads and driveways.

"What you have here is something different which is an emergency and that's a gray area," Connell said.

Connell suggested that residents work with their respective towns regarding the issue.

"I'm not happy with the answers; I don't think it's clear enough," Wendelboe said, later adding, "someone needs to take the bull by the horns and get an answer."

Lucas and Wendelboe said the towns can only contribute 12.5 percent toward such repair. "Town budgets are very specific," Wendelboe said, adding that it especially is an issue with SB2 towns that cannot exceed their appropriations.

"If you find there's a lot of money that you're going to be spending, you may be short on appropriations," Connell said to municipal representatives, noting that there are emergency provisions by the Department of Revenue Administration.

Wendelboe suggested that the state look into low-interest loans for property owners to pay for damage done to property.

Vernon and Barbara Marion, the owners of Ames Brook Campground in Ashland, inquired about the cause of the flash flood that devastated their campground and claimed the life of a seven-year-old girl. Vernon Marion said the nearby railroad "has blown out before" and "blew out in three different places" with "major fracture lines in the railroad."

Barbara Marion said no one has been there from the state to assess the damage.

Christopher M. Pope, director of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the state, said he would speak to the Marions about their situation.

Officials said the flooding was likely caused by a combination of pre-existing ground saturation after the previous series of storms and a great deal of rain falling in a short amount of time, with few places to go.

Officials also advised homeowners that beaver dams on properties are the responsibility of the property owners to manage.

Other topics of discussion included possible tax deductions for damages and insurance.

Representatives stayed after the meeting to speak with individuals about their respective situations.

Savranis said the Presidential Disaster Declaration on the three counties is still pending and a decision should be made next week.

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